Retirement Planning And Housing

Housing can be a big concern as you plan for retirement. Many who are planning for retirement think about what type  and mix of housing they want. I would recommend that you think of housing in retirement as housing across the care continuum. In many jurisdictions, there are different levels of housing and care for seniors, and they are categorized differently. Here is a senior housing grid we use in British Columbia. The grid covers the range of housing we may need from living independently to Palliative Care.

Independent Living	Supportive Housing	Assisted Living	Residential Care	Hospice and Palliative Care
If you are living independently, you can have in-home support to help you. There is usually a cost for these services.	There are Private and Subsidized homes for those that need some help such as meals, housekeeping, 24-hour emergency response, recreational activities, etc.	For those who want or need hospitality and personal care services who can live independently but may require some help with daily activities.	This is for people who cannot live independently and require a high level of care.	These facilities focus on comfort and the quality of life for people who suffer life-threatening and terminal illnesses.

In BC 94% of seniors live independently. 4% live in supportive housing and 3% live in Assisted, Residential or Palliative care. If you think about housing as part of your care continuum if one of you  gets sick and needs in-house medical care, long-term care, retirement lifestyle care or even worse, death you will have a plan in place to take care of your housing needs.

Some questions to consider as you investigate housing as part of your care continuum:

·        Is your health good enough to go up and downstairs?

·        Can you keep up with cleaning the house?

·        How much yard maintenance can you do?

·        Can you afford people to help take care of your home?